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Saturday, September 12, 2009

How to Install Windows XP using a USB Drive / Flash Drive the EASIEST way

NOTE: I used Lenovo IdeaPad S10-2 as a test machine in this post but this will also work to any laptop/netbook/pc that can recognize USB devices as a boot option. This also works if you want to use Windows Vista.

The owner of this Lenovo S10-2 tried to upgrade his operating system to Windows Vista. The problem is he had some problem while installing it and his machine refused to load the OS. He also accidentally deleted the recovery partition, so the one-key recovery won't work to restore to factory default. The owner now wanted to install Windows XP instead of Vista.

I usually use my external DVD Rom drive for this kind of work (it's the easier than USB method) but it broke down a couple of days ago. So I have no other choice but to install from a flash drive).

Fortunately, installing from a USB drive is now easier than it used to be. There are programs out there that handle all the work for you. Unlike before that you need to fire up command prompt and issue some commands to prepare the flash drive/usb drive before it can be use to install Windows XP. That's the reason why I prefer installing from external DVD ROM drive before.

What you need:

1) An empty USB flash drive, at least 1 GB in size (Is it necessary to be empty? Yes, because the program we will use formats the USB drive before copying window files)
2) NoviCorp Wintoflash (download here)
(NOTE: As of this writing, the program is still in beta, though I have not encountered any error or problem using it, we all know that using beta softwares may cause problems or still has some bugs in it.)
3. Windows XP installer CD or a copy to your hard drive.

This one is self explanatory. Windows files path would be your Windows CD and USB drive is your flash disk. Next window will be copying the setup files to your flash drive. In took about 30 minutes in my test using a 2 GB KingMax flash drive (I believe this result may vary depending on the speed of your source and your USB drive).

2. Turn on your laptop. Enter BIOS by pressing F2. Make sure that SATA Controller Mode is set to Compatible under Configuration. If you do not do this, the windows installer will not see your hard disk upon setup. Now Save and Exit.

4. This window will appear. Select 1st, text mode setup(boot from flash again after finish) here. You will now see the usual setup process when you install windows from CD.

5. When the initial copying of files is finish and the system restarts, you need to boot from flash drive again. But this time you will choose the first option in the picture above. (2nd, GUI mode setup). You will choose this option until the next 2 restarts and the first boot of windows. If you let it boot in hard disk, you will receive the error:

Windows could not start because the following files is missing or corrupt:\system32\hal.dllPlease re-install a copy of the above file.

If that happens, just restart your laptop and choose to boot from flash drive. Installation of windows finished after 35 minutes in my test. It may vary depending on the speed of your laptop and your USB drive.

I don't think na gagana to sa lahat, like in my case. It doesn't work, because it always tries to install sa drive W: which is yung USB with Windows Setup. So no use yung software sa akin. But I hope iba ang result sa others.

working! installed xp on hp mini 110-1212nr using usb flash drive.but i did have to slipstream sata driver first to xp files and burn it to a disc using nlite. issues i encountered was wintoflash works better if ur riping from a dvd media. hope this will help

1. Use Novicorp WinToFlash application to create "bootable usb" (it is recommended to use wizard).

2. Set SATA Controller Mode to Compatible or IDE.

3. Boot using bootable usb.

4. Select "1st, text mode setup (boot from flash again after finish)"

5. Install windows in C: (make sure to choose partion of drive "C:")

6. After reset, shutdown and edit "Boot.ini in "bootable usb" in another PC.

7. Look for "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)" and replace it with "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition("x")", where "x" is the partition number where you installed Windows.

8. Boot again using bootable usb.

9. Select "2nd, GUI mode setup".

10. Continue and finish installation of windows.

11. Edit "C:\Boot.ini" and Look for "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)" and replace it with "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition("x")", where "x" is the partition number where you installed Windows. (Note: uncheck "Hide system files" in view folder options and remove read only attribute to find and edit "Boot.in")

NOT Working.. I'm done with the copying of file which will restart the system for the first time but after selecting the '2nd, GUI mode setup,continue setup + 1st start of windows', it always gives error: "\system32.\hal.dll. please re-install a copy of the above file.

regarding this comment from above : "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition(1)" and replace it with "multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(1)partition("x")", where "x" is the partition number where you installed Windows. it is only applicable if you have more than 1 partition and also if you had installed this current installation otherthn drive or partition C which is by default considered as partition 1, now the real thing to change here is the rdisk(1) change 1 to 0 to make it rdisk(0) also for those whom keeps getting Blue Screen errors after selecting the 2nd GUI option, try first the above and then lso try to lower the Bios video setting or better, set bios Defaults then restart and proceed.

those who can't get pass or see the hard disk other than drive W which is the flash disk fr win setup, just press ESC till you see the usuall hard disk/partition selection screen

- just format the usb drive(4gb requiment) to ntfs.- load the iso image using 3rd party software(for me, its daemon tools),- open the drive where the iso image is loaded, unhidden all files, copy all and paste it on your usb stick.- that's it.. so easy..